a Success On the Fourth Avenue Line

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Photo Courtesy: NYC Transit / Marc A. Hermann

Earlier this week, MTA New York City Transit's FASTRACK maintenance program came to Brooklyn's Fourth Avenue Line with hundreds of Transit workers going into tunnels and stations to repair and replace components that are vital to safe and reliable train service, and a safe and improved station environment. These tasks ranged from changing light bulls to replacing rails.

Train service on the more than three-mile long line segment was suspended for four consecutive nights between the 36 St station in Sunset Park and the 95 St station in Bay Ridge. Repair crews took full advantage of the seven-hour work window between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.

Joseph Leader, Acting Senior Vice President for the Department of Subways said, “Our FASTRACK program continues moving to new segments of the vast subway system. We have been able to improve the safety and reliability of subway service while also enhancing the appearance and attractiveness of stations and providing a safer work environment for maintenance crews.”

Introduced in January 2012, the FASTRACK maintenance program has been highly successful in significantly reducing the time for maintenance tasks and improving the level of safety for repair crews, who no longer have to share tracks with trains moving through the work area. While critical maintenance jobs are attended to, workers also have the chance to do such jobs as high-intensity station cleaning and station painting, jobs that are not possible to do with customers waiting on platforms for arriving trains.

The next FASTRACK will also take place in Brooklyn, on the and lines. On Saturday and Sunday, May 18-19, from 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., there will be no service between Stillwell Av and Bay Parkway and no service Between Stillwell Av and 86 St. Be sure to check this website for complete details; posters and brochures will also be available at affected stations.